Gourmet Tuna Noodle Casserole

Tuna noodle casserole is a quintessential American dish. If you’re looking for a hearty, quick and easy meal to whip up for dinner, you’ll definitely want to give this recipe a try. It’s inexpensive, nutritious and you get more bang for your buck. You can serve this casserole for family dinner night, a casual get together or your next potluck. Even though it may seem less convenient, prepare this gourmet tuna-noodle casserole with as many fresh ingredients as possible to make sure you’re getting the highest nutritional value possible. Mix the ingredients with cooked pasta, pop the dish in the oven and you’re good to go—it’s great comfort food at it’s finest.

Ingredients needed

• 8 ounces dried whole wheat pasta, such as rotini
• Vegetable spray oil
• 12 ounce can albacore tuna in spring or distilled water, drained and flaked
• 10.75 ounce can low fat, reduced sodium, condensed cream of chicken soup
• 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 8 ounce can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained, coarsely chopped if desired
• ½ cup fat free milk
• ½ cup fat free or light sour cream
• 2 medium green onions (green and white parts), thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh dillweed
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup cornflake crumbs (about 1 ¼ cups flakes)

Prepare the pasta using the package directions, omitting the salt and oil. Drain well in a colander. Transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly spray a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray.

Stir the remaining ingredients except the cornflake crumbs into the pasta. Spoon the mixture into the baking pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle with the cornflake crumbs.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the mixture is warmed through and the cornflake topping is crisp and golden brown.

 

Nutrition information

• Serving size – 1 ½ cups
• Calories – 321
• Total fat – 3.0g

Saturated – 1.0 g

Polyunsaturated – 1.0g

Monounsaturated – 0.5g

• Cholesterol – 30 mg
• Sodium – 571 mg
• Carbohydrates – 51 g

Fiber – 8 g

Simple sugar – 7 g

• Protein – 23 g

 

Mobility 4 Life

I want to live as long as I’m alive. I want to keep moving freely, run when I want to, play sports, exercise without pain, and enjoy life for as long as I possibly can. And, by the means and methods of which I use to exercise, eat, and manage my stress, I will most certainly enjoy the rest of my life to its fullest and I want the same for you.

I have listed my top four things you need to do STARTING NOW to ensure you too will live well for the rest of your life.

1. Become Educated in Exercise – The single most valuable thing you can do is to start learning about your body, your muscles, and your joints; not only the different muscles but more importantly how these muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage work during exercise. As many of you have heard me say, “Over 90% of what I see in our exercise arenas is not only incorrect, but detrimental to future mobility and quality of life”. In most cases, I see the gym as a waiting room for orthopedic surgery and joint replacement. If you want to learn how to exercise the right way, come see me and I will teach you exactly what it looks like and feels like to exercise correctly.

2. Prepare and Recuperate – These two things are the most common elements missing in fitness. Most of your success in fitness will come from what you do OUTSIDE of your exercise routine. You have to prepare the body for exercise with the right nutrition, timing of your pre workout meal, plenty of rest, and positive productive thinking. The exact same things apply to recuperation; good food¸ timing of food, rest, and positive mental attitude are the keys to full recuperation. Plan ahead, be ready, produce, and seal the deal.

3. Become Educated on Nutrition – The absolute best thing you can do when starting to eat healthy is to get educated on nutrition. Not diets and eating plans but good old basic food. Learn what different foods do for you, how your body uses them, timing of digestion of different foods, and how certain combinations of foods affect your body. This is where it’s at; there are far too many of us with different genetics, needs, goals, and lifestyles to pin down any one eating plan that works best. Once you truly learn about nutrition, you can write your own plan. To start with, get rid of those fried foods and those sweet things we call deserts; Ok, maybe a little desert every now and then.

4. Toughen Up; There’s a Fight Comin” – Getting healthy and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not easy. It’s a daily, weekly, monthly, and lifelong battle. It is easier for some than others but over all, it’s a fight. You must understand that there will be many ups and downs and this is all natural. EVERYONE goes through this but it’s the tough ones that prevail and succeed. There will be obstacles and stress around every corner so be prepared. Stress is a part of life; managing stress is the key so learn to train your mind as well. Find a partner who has similar fitness goals as you and keep each other in check by providing accountability.

The key to living as long and as well as you can begins with education; education on correct exercise and nutrition. And, as with anything in life, being prepared is always the best way to go but don’t forget the recuperation side as well. And last but not least, get tough, stay tough, and power through life’s challenges that will always be along your road to a better longer life.

“To live is the rarest thing in the world, most people exist; that is all.” – Oscar Wilde

To Avoid Cancer, Think Small; Very Small

Avoiding cancer is on all of our minds because we have all been touched by it in one way or another. Although cancer cannot always be prevented, there are many types of cancer that can be avoided by the way we eat, live, and breath. It basically comes down to our immune system having the ability to fight off or destruct a mutated cancer cell before it replicates and takes hold in several areas of our body. To put yourself in the best possible position to defend against cancer, you need to fight on a cellular level; that’s where cancer starts. Here are my top things to do on a daily basis to keep your cells strong and ready to fight at all times.

1.) Build super cells with super foods – This is exactly why the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society place so much importance on – eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and whole grains. And, it is equally important to eat a low fat diet and maintain a healthy body weight to keep your cells strong and healthy. The strength of every cell in our bodies is determined by how strong the mitochondria are within each cell. The mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell; the motor of each cell which needs oxygen and good nutrients to stay strong. Clean food = clean fuel = clean blood = strong and healthy cells.

2.) Get moving – Our bodies were made to move and when we move, our blood circulates more to provide oxygen and nutrients to every single type of tissue we have in our bodies; our muscles, soft tissue, bones, and organs. When a body doesn’t move much, everything about our bodies weaken and are subject to bacteria and viruses which can and do cause cancer. Viruses and bacteria win their fight on a cellular level when your body cannot fight it off fast enough. Mobility gives your body the ability to kill cancer before it starts and that’s why you should aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity for five days a week as a minimum.

3.) Avoid the bad stuff – We all know what this means; use of tobacco in any form, drinking too much, not wearing sunscreen, drug abuse, and many others. I’m going to add a few; not sleeping enough, over training in exercise, not managing stress, not getting your medical screenings, and not washing your hands. All of these weaken your body by weakening your individual cells. Avoiding cancer is tough enough without making it harder on yourself so get the bad stuff out of your system. We all have our vices; moderation is the key my friends.

One day, cancer will be cured but, for right now, we have to protect ourselves as much as we can by the way we live. Our bodies do what we tell it to do by the way we eat, live, and breath. And, to battle against a very big and silent enemy, we must start and keep the fight on a very small level by developing and supporting cellular health. Fuel up, run the race, and live to fight another day.

Ellie’s Garlic Mashed Potatoes

This mash owes its luxurious texture to the natural creaminess of Yukon Gold potatoes and a touch of olive oil. The garlic mellows as it steams with the potatoes, adding a sweet undertone to the finished dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Place the potatoes and garlic in a steamer basket fitted over a large pot of boiling water. Cover and steam until the potatoes are knife-tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Warm the chicken broth in a small pot on the stove or in a glass container in the microwave.

Remove the steamer basket and drain the water from the large pot. Transfer the potatoes and garlic to the pot, add the oil, salt, pepper, and broth and mash until smooth.

Per Serving:

Calories 170; Total Fat 4 g; (Sat Fat 0.5 g, Mono Fat 2.5 g, Poly Fat 0.5 g) ; Protein 4 g; Carb 31 g; Fiber 3 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 310 mg

Excellent source of: Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Potassium

Good source of: Fiber, Niacin, Folate, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus

*As seen on http://www.foodnetwork.com

Eating Clean – the Dirty Truth

Throughout many of my blogs I talk about eating “clean” and this seems to always generate questions about what I mean by “clean”. Eating clean is a lot more than eating good nutritious food; it’s also about when you eat and your food combinations. Here is my checklist of the three things you need to do to truly eat clean.

Eating Whole Unprocessed Food – this is where reading labels are so important and specifically reading the ingredients. The ingredients should be nothing other than what you are intending to eat. Eating certified organic food is a great start but there can still be preservatives and fillers which can throw you off of eating clean. And, watch those sodium levels.

Eat Small and Often – timing is a big part of eating clean. Spreading your calories throughout the day ensures a higher metabolism and a much lesser chance of storing body fat. Eating small amounts of good nutritious food is much easier for your body to break down and process for energy.

Eating Good Food Combinations – this is the one where many people make mistakes.  Overall, you should shoot for 50% carbohydrates, 20% protein, and 30% fat. This is a general guideline and will fluctuate per individual and according to your weight loss goals. A good rule of thumb is to shoot for making half your plate fruits and vegetables and use the percentages I listed above during most of your meals. If you are trying to lose weight, greatly reduce or eliminate carbohydrates from your dinner.

To truly eat clean takes a lot of dedication and knowing that it’s about a lot more than just the food you eat. You can still become unhealthy by eating good food if you eat too much, too often, or in the wrong combinations. Your body and especially your heart love you when you give it clean fuel to run; Keep it clean, rev it up, and run like the wind.

Weighing Your Options

When it comes to managing your weight, it really comes down to making more good eating choices than bad choices. Now, if only it were that easy. We all know that the opportunities to eat bad food, fast food, and too much food are literally around every corner. With all of this convenience to make bad eating choices, we need to weigh our options before we make that bad eating choice that is going to make us feel bad for eating poorly. Before you drive through that fast food restaurant, eat way more than you should, or go crazy eating at the next party, take a second to run through this checklist.

• Is It Worth It? Are a few moments of satisfaction from eating bad food worth the despair you’re going to feel for the next several days or even weeks for making a bad choice?
• Remember When – remember how you felt the last time you made bad eating choices and how bad it made you feel. Remember asking yourself “why did I do that?”
• It All Adds Up – Every single choice you make adds up over the long run. If your good eating choices outweigh your bad eating choices, great things will happen; keep the scale in your favor.
• Be Honest and Be Accountable – journal your food, both good and bad. But, write down EVERYTHING you eat and drink and be honest with yourself by leaving nothing out. This leads to accountability and can help you make the good outweigh the bad. Read your journal often and make a point to review it often.

Weight management is a part of life. It is different for all of us and some of us have a lot tougher time than others at being successful at having and maintaining a healthy body weight. Whatever your challenges may be with your weight, constantly remind yourself of how good it feels when you make the right food choices, especially when that choice was made in the face of temptation.  And, take another step to where you really want to be and smile.

The Heat Is On; The Truth About Burning Body Fat

It seems without a doubt that everyone involved in various forms of exercise all have one definite goal in common; to lose body fat. At the same time, it is very obvious as to why many people are confused and misled when it comes to understanding and knowing how to lose body fat in a healthy way. For this very reason, I have listed the three essential variables you must employ and provide for your body to truly lose body fat and keep it off.

1.) Feed the Muscle – A big mistake many people make when trying to lose weight and body fat is they cut too many calories across the board. The first thing you should do is make sure you are getting plenty of good clean protein to support your muscles which should be about 1-1.5 grams per pound of body weight. Next, do not eliminate complex carbohydrates from your diet. On a molecular level, protein needs complex carbohydrates to truly build and maintain lean muscle mass. And, make sure you are getting plenty of good unsaturated fats in your diet. Every cell in your body relies on good fats to support your cell health and your immune system. Do Not Starve Your Body; Feed It.

2.) Time Your Eating – Eat smaller and more often. When your body has too much food at once, your digestive processing slows down and so will your metabolism. Eating smaller amounts of food 4-5 times a day every 3-4 hours will ensure a higher metabolism and will keep your body from storing more fat. Also, reduce calories at the end of your day (dinner) and omit starchy complex carbohydrates and fruit, and eat a very small amount of good clean unsaturated fat. Stick with clean protein and green vegetables for dinner.

3.) Avoid Over Training – I see this all of the time, people doing way too much exercise. When you over train, your body will actually reduce the amount of fat it burns because it senses a physical threat and will reserve body fat for the very high energy needs you have placed upon it. Not only for the energy you need to exercise, but also the energy your body needs for basic functions and blood support.

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Go ahead and turn up the heat on burning body fat, just be sure it’s body fat your truly burning.

Bistro-style Salad for One

BISTRO-STYLE SALAD FOR ONE

1 Tablespoon chopped walnuts or pecans, dry-toasted in a skillet for 2 to 3 minutes

½ slice pork or turkey bacon, cooked to a crisp and crumbled – reserving ½ teaspoon of drippings

2 cups of salad greens of your choice, rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces

1 or 2 Tablespoons of crumbled blue or Parmesan cheese

3 to 4 slices of fresh Bartlett pear or your favorite type of apple

2 half-inch thick slices of French or Cuban bread baguette, lightly toasted

1 egg, soft-boiled for 4 minutes so white and yolk are set, with center of yolk still creamy

Dressing made of ½ Tablespoon white wine or balsamic vinegar, ½ Tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon dried tarragon, ¼ teaspoon Dijon or grainy mustard, and the reserved bacon drippings whisked together until well blended

Have all of the ingredients ready and the dressing prepared. Then soft boil the egg so that it is warm when you are ready to eat. During the 4 minutes while the egg is cooking, toss together in a salad bowl the greens, nuts, bacon, cheese and fruit.

Drizzle the dressing over the greens mixture and toss gently. Place on a salad plate and top with the egg and toast slices.

5 Ways to “Help Your Heart Help You”

1. Lighten the Load – your heart will last longer if it has to support less of you. It’s a simple matter of over use. Your vehicle is the same way. How many fewer years would your vehicle last if you loaded it down with extra weight every single day you drove it? The tires would wear out quicker, parts would start to break sooner, and it would start to look worn out a lot sooner than it should. Sound familiar? Give your heart a lesser load to pull around by losing weight.

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2. Start an Exercise Program – Obvious right? You knew it was coming sooner or later! It doesn’t have to be a full time program. I just designed an exercise program to solve the time and schedule problem so many of you have. It just happens to be called “It’s All Heart”. Imagine that! It takes 15 minutes a day, 75 minutes a week; and it is very effective in getting you healthier. And, it is designed to be done at work, in your office, and at home. So, you can exercise without spending much time at all, without a gym membership, without pain, and without confusion very very easily; and I can prove it!

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3. Use High Grade Fuel – Your heart muscle is fueled by what you eat and nothing else. Try shoving a cheeseburger and french fries down your gas tank on your vehicle. Could it run on this? Not only could it not run, your motor would be doomed for the afterlife. Think of your heart as a motor, and know that everything you eat is eventually going through your heart like fuel. Keep those fuel lines (arteries) clean by giving your heart clean high grade fuel by eating well.

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4. Give Your Heart a Break – Exercise and eating well will make your heart stronger and more efficient but stress can really make your heart beat much faster than it needs to. Stress can lead to high blood pressure which is stress on your arteries and your heart. Put your car in neutral and press the gas; car doesn’t go anywhere but the motor is still working hard. Pretty useless huh? What if you floored it and held it there for a while? How would this effect your motor (heart)? Learn to take 3-5 minutes a day and clear your mind, concentrate on breathing slowly, and think about good things. Try it for 3 minutes and see what happens to your heart rate.

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5. Improve Your Communication Skills – Your heart listens to every word you say and does what you tell it to do unconditionally. Your every command is heard and followed by your heart so be careful what you say. Remember those times when you spoke to someone out of haste and wished you could take it back? With your heart, there are no take backs. The second you communicate to it to do something, it responds every single time. Understand what your heart needs, how it responds to you, and how it communicates back to you. This is one relationship that has to last.

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So there you go! These are 5 great ways to help your heart help you. Start by lightening the load on your heart by losing weight, begin a reasonable and realistic exercise program, eat better, learn to relax, and  learn the language of the heart. Your body, your mind, and your heart can have a long and quality life, but you have to treat them well. Because remember, “It’s All Heart”.